Letting Go of the Bay Leaf: Katniss

Sunday, May 19, 2019

Mosaic Monday #28 - Little, Simple Joys

Royal Red Norway Maple - leafing out in our garden

My friends, we're taking a road trip! That is, Spousal Unit and I are taking a road trip. Now, now - don't worry. Letting Go of the Bay Leaf will post all the pictures and the details that are fit for a refined audience such as yourselves when we return. Which means this week's post will be shorter and simpler than most. Which some of you may greet with a "finally"! Welcome to a snapshot of my recent little, simple joys - all I need!

You've seen neighbor cat Katniss before in previous posts - I had the opportunity to look after her again recently. She is so soft and fluffy - such a luxurious coat for a cat!

And then there's our 17-year-old lady, Maggie, who digs the sun spots in our house. Sometimes I have to check that she's still breathing!

If you've been following my blog, you know that we have applied for several backcountry camping permits in Glacier National Park. Two of our three applications were approved, and we learned that mid-May, you can access real-time availability of the back-country campgrounds. As a result, we applied for an additional two-night camping trip, and it was approved within 24 hours. Yippee!

I volunteer at the Whitefish Historical Museum one day a week, and our executive director has witnessed my various craft projects during slow times, whether it is drawing or cross-stitch. Last week, she surprised me with this bookmark, which she said had been left in a donated book. So what is so special about this? Well, my friends, it looks the same on the front AND THE BACK. No knots, or crossing the thread to another section, and it is one piece of cloth … I was amazed. It is simple and yet remarkably beautiful, all at the same time. I especially like the Celtic knot patterns in the corners! I almost cried when I considered that she thought of me when she saw it, not to mention the wonder of the craftmanship.

My dear neighbor took me to a nearby waterfall. I couldn't take my eyes from the 100-foot drop over three distinct cascades, much less the wildflowers that seem to be several weeks ahead of those I have seen elsewhere!

Left: Yellowbells; Middle: That's me standing to right of the upper cascade;

Right: Shooting Star

We recently hosted a dinner party for several of our fellow Mountain Ambassadors, and I had prepared some flower arrangements to grace our outdoor tables. One of our guests brought tulips, and I added them to the vases. The next day I received my Mother's Day cards - it all made for a marvelous mosaic. Until next time, dear readers, I pray for you that every day brings little, simple joys!

Mosaic Monday

Welcome to Mosaic Monday, a weekly meme where we get together to share our photo mosaics and collages.
Please include at least one photo mosaic/collage in your post.
The link will be open from 1 p.m. Sunday until 11 p.m. Monday (U.S. Mountain time).
Remember to add the link to your Mosaic Monday post and not the one to your blog.
Please link back to this post so that your readers will be able to visit and enjoy more wonderful mosaics; taking the MM blog button from my sidebar is an easy way to link back.
As host I will visit every participant and leave a comment so that you know I stopped by.
Please try and visit as many other blogs as you can, especially those that join in later, so that everyone's creativity can be appreciated fully.
Thank you for joining in today and sharing your mosaics with us.

Wednesday, July 25, 2018

July Hijinks

Summer - just the word evokes deep memories - devouring still-warm tomatoes from our garden, juice running down my chin; the enticing aroma of hot dogs on the grill; dashing through the sprinkler in the back yard, with bits of cut grass stuck between my toes.

Sunset on Whitefish Lake - July 4, 2018

I may be a bit older now, but I still love the traditions of summer, and the boundless opportunities it offers to be outside in Nature's glory. Here are some warm-weather highlights from July.

ONE: PET-SITTING
Everybody takes at least a short vacation or summer trip, and so I was delighted to accept my neighbor's request to look after her cat while they went to California for a family wedding. Isn't Katniss just a darling?

TWO: PIE-MAKING
It may seem a bit late in the season for rhubarb, but I had a hankering that would not be denied. Early in the month, we visited a local farmer's market, and I was thrilled to find one stall with massive bunches of rhubarb. Result: two mouth-watering pies. Here is a link to the recipe.

THREE: STITCHING
The slower pace of summer (sangria on the porch, anyone?) lends itself to ~~naps~~ wrapping up projects. I am delighted to report that my tea towel project is complete!

FOUR: GROWING THINGS
No, not me - God and Mother Nature. My role is simply to capture the beauty, and there sure is plenty of that to go around …

Upper left: Pinedrops; Upper center: Bee balm; Upper right: Death Camas

Bottom: Petunias

From Left: Bog Orchid; Lupines and Blanket Flower near Many Glacier; Beargrass; Sticky Geranium

Very creative lollipop gift from a neighbor

FIVE: ENJOYING FAMILY AND FRIENDS
We have been blessed this month to host my in-laws from the UK, as well as my youngest brother and his wife. And we held two large parties at the house - one to honor all those who made our log home dream real, and one for Spousal Unit's 50th birthday. Yep, we made a few new memories this month!!

Upper Left: Swiftcurrent Lake; Bottom: Hidden Lake; Both in Glacier National Park

Swiftcurrent Lake at Many Glacier, Glacier National Park

Upper right: my in-laws marveled at the size of "2 scoops"

Middle right: Hand-made gift from a neighbor

Lower right: Bird seed house gift from in-laws

Left: Mountain near Many Glacier

And now I am writing this from the UK, where we are visiting my in-laws in advance of the wedding of Spousal Unit's only cousin. Despite the many years of summer holidays here, we can still find new places to experience.

Top and bottom: Royal Border Bridge in Berwick-on-Tweed, completed in 1850

Middle: Millennium Window - Church of the Holy Trinity

Walking the Coastal Path near Berwick-on-Tweed

Quarry Garden at Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens; in ravines cut out of rock, a micro-climate allows for many

unique plants to flourish; this garden is one of only two quarry gardens in the UK

BONUS:
And just in case you have been longing for some new trail cam photos, here is the best of the bunch from July: a cow elk with a baby at her side. Now THAT'S a new summer memory to be treasured. What is your favorite summer memory?